The G.I. JOEStory

Stanley Weston pitches the idea for a line of “military-themed dolls” to Hasbro executive Donald Levine. Hasbro purchases the concept from Weston and begins development on G.I. JOE.

Hasbro debuts G.I. JOE, "America’s Movable Fighting Man." The 12-inch poseable figure sets the stage for every action figure that has come since.  

British company Palitoy licenses G.I. JOE from Hasbro and rebrands it as Action Man.

Hasbro launches the Soldiers of the World series, introducing German, Japanese, French, Australian, Russian, and British military figures with new head sculpts.

G.I. Nurse: Action Girl becomes the first female action figure in the G.I. JOE line.

Talking G.I. JOE figures hit the shelves.

Hasbro launches The Adventures of G.I. JOE line, and G.I. JOE becomes “America’s Movable Adventure Man.”

G.I. JOE shifts focus to “Special Missions” taking G.I. Joe off the battlefield and into the Mummy’s Tomb, on a Secret Mission to Spy Island, to the Danger of the Depths, and on a Flying Space Adventure.

Using a flocking technique developed by Hasbro’s UK licensee Palitoy, G.I. JOE Adventure Team action figures are given lifelike hair, beards, or a combination of both.

While not the first African American G.I. Joe, 1970 sees the release of a completely redesigned version that features a completely new head sculpt.

G.I. Joe action figures get the iconic “Kung Fu Grip,” allowing them to grab and hold weapons and accessories like never before.

Hasbro introduces Mike Power Atomic Man to the G.I. JOE universe. The figure is outfitted with transparent plastic limbs to appear bionic and features an "atomic flashing eye." He is the first “non-Joe” figure in the Adventure Team.

Hasbro relaunches G.I. JOE as an elite special-ops unit and shrinks the figures down to an action-packed 3.75-inch scale. The first release includes figures, vehicles, and playsets, and is a massive success.

G.I. JOE gets a villain . Led by Cobra Commander, Cobra, is a ruthless criminal organization determined to rule the world.

The adventures of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero find their way to the pages of Marvel Comics under the direction of master storyteller, Larry Hama.

Marvel Productions partners with and Sunbow Productions to develop The M.A.S.S Device, a five-part animated miniseries that brings the adventures of G.I. JOE to televisions across the country.

G.I. Joe: Cobra Strike for the Atari 2600 becomes the first G.I. JOE video game.

The Arashikage tattoo worn by Snake Eyes is revealed for the first time in G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero comic #21.

Sunbow Productions and Marvel Productions launch the first of two full seasons of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero cartoons.

Sunbow and Marvel Productions release G.I. Joe: The Movie, a feature-length animated film that explores the origins of Cobra Commander and the mysterious land of Cobra La.

DiC Entertainment takes over animation duties on G.I. JOE and relaunches the show with a new direction.

For the first time in 15 years, Hasbro releases a 12-inch G.I. JOE action figure with the debut of the Hall of Fame series, which features characters from the G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero line.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of G.I. JOE, Hasbro produces the limited-edition Commemorative Collection, reissues of the original 1964 figures.

As a nod to the original military-themed G.I. JOE of the 1960s, Hasbro releases the Classic Collection, a series of 12-inch figures representing soldiers from around the world.

G.I. JOE Extreme, a new line of 5-inch action figures and vehicles, is produced by Kenner after the company is acquired by Hasbro. The line is accompanied by an animated series by Sunbow and Graz Entertainment that runs for two seasons, and a comic book series by Dark Horse.

With the success of the 12-inch Hall of Fame and the Classic Collection lines, Hasbro launches a series of 1960s reproductions they call the Timeless Collection.

Devils Due Publishing acquires the comic book license for G.I. JOE and launches a new series that runs for 43 issues.

Hasbro debuts the G.I. Joe vs. Cobra line of newly designed 3.75-inch figures and vehicles based on all-new TV animated features produced by Reel FX Studios, with themes like Spy Troops and Valor vs. Venom.

The G.I. JOE saga of good versus evil rages on in SPY TROOPS THE MOVIE! When a Cobra Spy steals a powerful technology, the G.I. JOE team fights back with spies of their own!

The G.I. Joe face their greatest threat yet from the evil Cobra organization, under the direction of Cobra Commander. DNA from the world's most ferocious animals has been combined with humans to create a virtually unstoppable army of venom troopers. Led by Duke, Heavy Duty, Scarlett and Snake Eyes, the heroic G.I. Joe team fights this new menace in a battle to save humanity.

Hasbro releases G.I. JOE Sigma 6, a line of super-stylized, all-new figures in 8-inch scale, loaded with weapons and accessories and accompanied by a brand-new television series of the same name

Hasbro celebrates a milestone with the G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero 25th Anniversary collection, featuring newly designed 3.75-inch figures with more detail and more articulation than their predecessors.

IDW Publishing acquires the G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero comic book license and brings back legendary storyteller Larry Hama.

Paramount Pictures teams up with Spyglass Entertainment to produce G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. The long-awaited live-action film brings the iconic characters of the G.I. JOE brand to the big screen for the first time.

The edgy animated series G.I. Joe Resolute, developed by Titmouse, Inc. and AllSpark Animation airs on Adult Swim. The series is written by acclaimed scribe, Warren Ellis.

G.I. Joe Renegades , developed by Darby Pop Productions and Hasbro Studios, airs as a new animated series that features a reimagination of the G.I. Joe / Cobra conflict.

G.I. Joe: Retaliation, distributed by Paramount Pictures, is the live-action sequel to 2009’s global blockbuster, and the third feature length production in the franchise’s history.

IDW Publishing releases Transformers vs G.I. Joe, a 13-issue maxiseries mashup of the two iconic Hasbro franchises.

G.I. JOE 50th anniversary celebration figures launch as multipacks featuring iconic combinations of characters, packed with weapons and accessories.

IDW Publishing launches a new G.I. Joe monthly comic series that has Cobra in control, and G.I. Joe operating as criminal outcasts.

G.I. Joe Classified Series is the all-new G.I. JOE, presented for the first time in action-packed 6-inch scale. The line is the culmination of 56 years of amazing action figures, animation, comic books, and films.

G.I. Joe: War on Cobra mobile game launches for iOS and Android.